Signal processing can be used to condition medical signals to facilitate their interpretation, and to extract clinically important information. The purpose of the present doctoral thesis is to put forward solutions to certain problems encountered in the processing of electrocardiac signals. Paper I examines the properties of a maximum likelihood method for aligning vectorcardiographic loops, with

Background. Skin grafting may be necessary to close nonhealing skin wounds. This report describes a fast and minimally invasive method to produce minced skin suitable for transplantation to skin wounds. The technique was evaluated in an established porcine skin wound healing model and was compared to split-thickness skin grafts and suspensions of cultured and noncultured keratinocytes. Materials a

Neural stem cells in the subventricular zone of adult rodents produce new striatal neurons that may replace those that have died after stroke; however, the neurogenic response has been considered acute and transient, yielding only small numbers of neurons. In contrast, we show herein that striatal neuroblasts are generated without decline at least for 4 months after stroke in adult rats. Neuroblas

We have explored whether {gamma}-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is released by regulated exocytosis of GABA-containing synaptic-like microvesicles (SLMVs) in insulin-releasing rat pancreatic ß-cells. To this end, ß-cells were engineered to express GABAA-receptor Cl--channels at high density using adenoviral infection. Electron microscopy indicated that the average diameter of the SLMVs is 90 nm, that ev

We have made in-situ investigations of ultrathin films of Fe grown on a Ag(100) single crystal. This system is known to exhibit a reorientation of the magnetization, dependent on both Fe thickness and temperature. X-ray absorption fine structure has been recorded for samples prepared in-situ, both in the near edge and in the extended x-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) region. Using x-ray magn

The development of multicellular organisms is associated with extensive rearrangements of cells and tissues. The driving force for these rearrangements is generated by the cell's actin cytoskeleton. During many morphogenetic processes dynamic rearrangement of the actin cytoskeleton is regulated by small GTPases of the Rho-family. These GTPases are highly conserved throughout the animal kingdom and

Background and aim: Diagnosis of coeliac disease is based on the demonstration of enteropathy in a small bowel biopsy. Correct diagnosis is of utmost importance, since the need for dietary management is life long, and inadequate treatment may lead to potentially serious complications. The Swedish Working Group for Paediatric Coeliac Disease has published guidelines for the diagnosis of childhood c

Human embryonic skin fibroblasts were pretreated with transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) for 6 h and then labeled with [35S]sulphate and [3H]leucine for 24 h. Radiolabeled proteoglycans from the culture medium and the cell layer were isolated and separated by isopycnic density-gradient centrifugation, followed by gel, ion-exchange and hydrophobic-interaction chromatography. The major prote

Various normative decision theories are discussed in the context of fire risk management. A method suitable for practical decision making in respect to fire safety investments is presented and exemplified. The method involves the use of second-order probabilities to represent uncertainty regarding probability values. A discussion on the use of Bayes theorem in combination with decision analysis is

Background When using Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) in assessing outcomes of treatment, normative data for different diagnoses are needed to allow cross-comparisons of existing and future studies. We determined the SF-36 scores in patients with surgical lumbar spine problems. Methods This is a prospective observational study of consecutive surgical patients in one institution. In additi

Evidence-based medicine is a corner stone in treatment decision making and large randomised, clinical trials are usually designed in order-to provide highly significant results. This study was conducted in order to find out to what extend a "real life" patient population with obstructive lung disease could fit into criteria commonly used in clinical research trials. As a secondary aim of the study

Previously [The abstract has been shortened somewhat, and the headings removed, in order to conform to journal style], we have observed vestibular asymmetry in about one-third of healthy senior citizens and in about two-thirds of subjects with previous hip fractures and no other significant ailments. Wrist fractures are considered a harbinger of hip fractures. If vestibular asymmetry is correlated

The vitamin K-dependent and ubiquitously expressed 82 kDa glycoprotein product of the growth-arrest-specific-gene 6, Gas6, shows 44% sequence identity to the anticoagulant protein, protein S. Both proteins share further the same domain organization. A short loop region, 4 epidermal growth factor-like modules and an SHBG-like region follow the N-terminal Gla-domain, which confers membrane-binding c